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Making Evolutionary Sense of Gaia
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Trends in Ecology & Evolution
|June 4, 2019
Summary
The Gaia hypothesis suggests life maintains Earth's habitability through evolution. This study proposes viewing life as an individual organism, allowing natural selection to favor homeostatic mechanisms for planetary well-being.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Earth System Science
- Theoretical Ecology
Background:
- The Gaia hypothesis posits that global life actively maintains habitable conditions.
- This strong form faces criticism from traditional evolutionary theory.
- Neo-Darwinian perspectives often deem such global homeostatic mechanisms theoretically impossible.
Purpose of the Study:
- To re-evaluate the Gaia hypothesis within an evolutionary framework.
- To explore theoretical justifications for Gaia's homeostatic mechanisms.
- To reconcile Gaia with modern evolutionary biology.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of evolutionary theory.
- Application of individual-based selection models to clades.
- Consideration of differential persistence as an evolutionary outcome.
Main Results:
- The Gaia hypothesis is reconcilable with natural selection.
- Treating the biological component of Gaia as an individual provides a valid evolutionary perspective.
- Differential persistence, alongside reproduction, can drive homeostatic evolution.
Conclusions:
- The Gaia hypothesis, when framed appropriately, is evolutionarily plausible.
- Recent advances in evolutionary biology support viewing life as a selective unit.
- This perspective offers a new understanding of Earth's long-term habitability.
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